Estonia's new 14-day coronavirus rate per 100,000 inhabitants is 569.61.

More than half the new cases (198) came in Harju County, with 161 of these in Tallinn. Ida-Viru County saw 72 new cases, Lääne-Viru County 19, and Tartu County 17 new cases.

Viljandi County posted 13 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, the board says, while Võru County recorded 11.

Põlva County saw nine new cases, Valga County seven, and Pärnu County, six.

Both Hiiumaa and Järva County reported five new coronavirus cases, while Jõgeva and Rapla counties reported three each.

Only two of Estonia's 15 counties did not post any new coronavirus cases: Saaremaa and Lääne County.

Fifteen new coronavirus cases did not have a place of residence associated with the individuals in question, in the population registry, the source the Health Board uses in compiling its location data for new COVID-19 cases.

A total of 2,292 primary COVID-19 tests were carried out in Estonia in the past 24 hours, with 383 returning positive, giving a 16.7 percent rate of infection.

The figure for the past 14 days is 12.3 percent.

As of the morning of Saturday, January 2, 395 people were hospitalized due to the coronavirus, a rise of 14 on the previous day. 42 people are intensive care, a rise of one on the 24 hours, with 25 people requiring assisted breathing (no change on January 1). 

Seven people who had contracted COVID-19 died over the past 24 hours, the Health Board says, bringing the total number of deaths in Estonia since the pandemic began to 241.

The Health Board is monitoring almost 24,000 individuals

The Health Board is divided into four geographical regions, with the burden of monitoring falling on the northern and eastern regions.

The northern regional department is monitoring over 15,100 people, of whom 4,286 have fallen ill, the Health Board says.

The eastern regional department is monitoring over 4,600 people, of whom 1,471 have fallen ill.

There are over 2,500 people who are being monitored by the southern regional department, of which 884 have fallen ill (figures for those monitored also includes individuals from the northern, eastern, and western regions, the board says).

The western region is monitoring 1,400 people; 411 of them have fallen ill.

Testing, hospitalization and recoveries

Seven new coronavirus deaths were registered within the past 24 hours, concerning a 60-year-old woman, a 62-year-old woman, a 68-year-old man, a 79-year-old woman, an 82-year-old man, an 82-year-old woman, and a 93-year-old man.

As of today, January 2, hospitals have closed a total of 1,535 cases relating to COVID-19 which involved 1,509 people.

Also as of January 2, a total of 19,205 people have recovered from COVID-19. The cases of 14,423 people have been closed by a medical professional (75.1 percent of the total) and, in the case of the remaining 4,782 people (24.9 percent), they meet the triple criteria of more than twenty-eight days having passed since testing positive, the individuals concerned are not being treated in hospital due to COVID-19, and they are not awaiting their coronavirus case to be wrapped up.

Since developing the capability of testing for coronavirus in spring 2020, 639,145 tests have been analysed in Estonia in relation to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The number of positive initial test results amounts to 28,789 individuals, or 4.5 percent of the total. Detailed statistical data from the coronavirus tests is available here.

Coronavirus vaccinations

A total of 2,487 individuals have now been vaccinated against COVID-19 since the vaccine arrived in Estonia. At the beginning of next week (week commencing January 4) at the latest, the board's information system, TEHIK, will also be displaying detailed vaccination information on the Health Board's coronavirus map.

Patients can view their own vaccination information on the Patient Portal.

The aim of vaccinating against COVID-19 is to protect risk groups who are likelier to be infected or who are at a higher risk of developing severe symptoms in the event of being infected, as well as to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to reduce the number of deaths that are caused by the disease, the Health Board says.

This also alleviates the burden on the healthcare system and the economy, and enables society to function normally.

The first recipients of the vaccination will be healthcare professionals and employees of healthcare institutions, the employees and residents of care homes, and individuals who are over seventy years old and who suffer from certain health conditions which may increase the severity of COVID-19 symptoms that could be experienced in the event of their falling ill.

As soon as Estonia receives a sufficient number of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, vaccination will also become available to other target groups, as well as to the general population.

More detailed information is available on the Koroonakaart site here.

How can the spread of coronavirus be stopped?

• The most efficient measure is keeping your distance.
• In crowded places and especially indoors where it is not possible to keep your distance from other people, it is advisable to wear a mask.
• Closed, crowded spaces should be avoided if possible.
• Hands must be washed frequently with soap and warm water.
• When you sneeze or cough, cover your mouth and nose with disposable tissue.
• Anyone who becomes ill should stay at home, even if their symptoms are mild.
• People who develop any symptoms should contact their family physician.

Download 'HOIA'

You can also download Estonia's coronavirus exposure notification app 'HOIA' which will alert you if you have been in close contact with someone who later tests positive for coronavirus.

The free app can be downloaded at the Google Play Store or App Store. Read ERR News' feature about the app here. 

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